Effective Range 7mm-08 & 6.5 CM
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palerider3
Well-Known Member
What distance does your bullet reach it's minimum speed for expansion? Whatever distance you end up with at 1700-1800 fps for the eldx in my experience. With my 20" 6.5 Creed I would limit shots on elk and deer to 800ish. That said, I would only take broadside shots on elk past 600 yards. I'm sure you'll get plenty of replys on here saying you need a magnum of some sort to kill elk though.
Coyote_Hunter
Well-Known Member
As a rule of thumb I use 2000fps and 1500fpe for elk. You can kill them with a good deal less, though.
Using handloads, I killed a pile of elk with a 160g Speer Grand Slam load at 2857fps (slow 7mm RM). Took me 20+ years to recover one and that one wrecked both shoulder joints of a nice bull. When we removed the hide it was peeking out of the bone.
Killed my last one with the same load at 411 yards, a 6x5 bull, 4 steps and down.
Using handloads, I killed a pile of elk with a 160g Speer Grand Slam load at 2857fps (slow 7mm RM). Took me 20+ years to recover one and that one wrecked both shoulder joints of a nice bull. When we removed the hide it was peeking out of the bone.
Killed my last one with the same load at 411 yards, a 6x5 bull, 4 steps and down.
SilverbulletMAG
Well-Known Member
What's your bullet and velocity?
Plinker147
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I've killed multiple elk at 550 with 6.5-06 that's shoot 140's best at 2850fps. As long as the bullet is going fast enough to expand usually around 1800fps which is about 800 yards with my load. But With that I think 600ish is a good distance for the Creedmore as long as you can put the bullet where it needs to go.
Don A Parsons
Well-Known Member
Most bullet manufacturer's publish the """recommended" ft-per seconds to get the best expansion from each bullet... I would think that they are testing them in the flesh department...
Its a good place to start your research from thier Web site to find out...
Here's an example of what Nosler recommended for the 6.5 140gr Nosler Partions...
Excellent expansion from 2300 ft-per seconds on up,,, minimum at 1800 ft-per seconds,,, so I capped it off at 1900 ft-per seconds to allow for a fraction of lee-way...
Of course there is always a catch 22 when it comes to shot placement and how the critter takes the hit...
Look up some of your favorite hunting bullets and see what they can offer for expansion,,, the 50/50 rule to find out if they will suit your needs...
Cheers from the North
Its a good place to start your research from thier Web site to find out...
Here's an example of what Nosler recommended for the 6.5 140gr Nosler Partions...
Excellent expansion from 2300 ft-per seconds on up,,, minimum at 1800 ft-per seconds,,, so I capped it off at 1900 ft-per seconds to allow for a fraction of lee-way...
Of course there is always a catch 22 when it comes to shot placement and how the critter takes the hit...
Look up some of your favorite hunting bullets and see what they can offer for expansion,,, the 50/50 rule to find out if they will suit your needs...
Cheers from the North
palerider3
Well-Known Member
2850 is a pretty normal speed for the creedmoor and 140s. My 20" is close to that.
feelinducky
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- 418
Here we go!
So I won't talk about other cartridges except for what you asked and you do not need a magnum, although I preffer my 7mm Rem Mag for Elk the 7mm-08 will do just fine, I own 3 of them and have used this cartridge for over 30 years and have killed countless animals with it.
I am assuming you don't reload since you metioned factory ammo on your 2nd post
For me the minimum for elk is 1,800 fps just in case. Yes you can kill it with less but will it die quickly or will it suffer, and will you recover the animal?
That said I would go with the Accubond because it does have a higher BC and this will help a little, and at 500 yards it will kill with proper bullet placement. The max would be 600 yds.
No experience with thw 6.5 CM so I'll leave that to other members, however I do prefer a bullet bigger than the 6.5 for Elk but that is just me.
Hope this helps
I am assuming you don't reload since you metioned factory ammo on your 2nd post
For me the minimum for elk is 1,800 fps just in case. Yes you can kill it with less but will it die quickly or will it suffer, and will you recover the animal?
That said I would go with the Accubond because it does have a higher BC and this will help a little, and at 500 yards it will kill with proper bullet placement. The max would be 600 yds.
No experience with thw 6.5 CM so I'll leave that to other members, however I do prefer a bullet bigger than the 6.5 for Elk but that is just me.
Hope this helps
Another great option for the 7mm-08 is the Hornady Superformance ammo with the 139gr SST. This bullet in this cartridge performs great, I am yet to recover a bullet and it turns the vitals to jello.
I've got the 140 Accubond going 2,890 with 47.5 grains of Big Game in my 22.5" 7mm08. With this load at 5000 feet elevation I'm at 2,200 fps and 1,500 ftlb at 450 yards.
ntg
Well-Known Member
I know you all don't like boring Hornady bullets, but I shot a good mule deer buck w/ 139btsp at 435 yards. It was an uphill shot. It clipped a rib, bounced off the spine and hit another rib on the way out. It was moving at 2820 fps. I don't know if I'd shoot an elk that far with it, but I'd be fine with almost any 7-08 load on deer out to 400.
